Holy Water
by Delirium's Child
Summary: Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum. After Ten Big Ones. A song fic from Holy Water by Big & Rich.


**note: **the characters here are Janet Evanovich's from the Stephanie Plum novels, I am just playing with them.

**BIG & RICH - Holy Water**  
  
Album: Horse Of A Different Color (2004)

He remembered the first time he'd ever seen her, remembered thinking she wouldn't last five minutes, how much fun it was gonna be to scare the little white girl back to the 'Burg. And then she'd flashed him that 'death glare,' stood up to him even if she was half-scared of him. That had caught his attention more completely than her big blue eyes and sinful curves. If only she hadn't gone and trusted him, he thought with a smile. All it took was one look in those clear blue eyes, and suddenly he'd wanted to be the hero, the dark knight, Batman- anything to keep that look in her eyes.

She hadn't understood when he'd told her she was entertainment. Hadn't understood the importance of it. She was a morale booster- his guys loved watching her work, and not just for the sex kitten shoes and call girl outfits, or for the more comedic of her antics, but because she was good. She was original, and occasionally too smart for her own good. She was also, unfortunately, loveable.  
  
Somewhere there's a stolen halo  
I use to watch her wear it well  
Everything would shine wherever she would go  
But looking at her now you'd never tell

He sat by her bed, as had so many nights before, watching her sleep. Brushing a few curls out of her face, whispering a few soothing words in Spanish- a trick he'd learned a couple years ago, and one she might never know about, but it always seemed to quiet her.

She looked so small, curled up in the huge bed by herself, but he couldn't bring himself to climb in with her, afraid of waking her, afraid of hurting her. She had taken a beating tonight, in many more ways than one, and not for the first time he was scared for her. And for himself, too. That was why he didn't climb into the bed and take her in his arms like he was aching to do- he was a coward. Looking into her eyes tonight, after it had set in, after the hospital and the questioning, it had looked like part of her was missing, and it scared the hell out of him. He needed her, loved her, and he knew that when she woke up, she might not be that person anymore. Might not be his Babe anymore.

That hurt, more than he thought possible, just that thought pulled at his chest, stabbed into him. He looked at her face, bruised and battered from the hell they'd put her through, and prayed. His life, his money, anything, just let her wake up and still be Stephanie, still be his Babe.

Someone ran away with her innocence  
A memory she can't get out of her head  
I can only imagine what she's feeling  
When she's praying  
Kneeling at the edge of her bed 

Tank had paged him, an urgent message. He was needed downstairs to debrief the guys- they'd rounded up the last of the Slayers, and it appeared that the new DA was having a field day not only with them but with Sally. Apparently he didn't like cross dressers. A few quick calls, some strings pulled, and a high powered attorney later, Sally's case was not nearly so bleak. They had all asked about her. He had told them the truth- she hadn't woken up yet.

He was greeted in the apartment by the smell of breakfast, and the sound of the shower running. He sighed, feeling unbelievably guilty for not being with her when she woke up. He grabbed some coffee and a bagel and waited for her to get done.

Finally the shower stopped and he heard her in the bedroom, getting dressed, and then nothing. He frowned, and walked toward the door. It stood partly opened, just enough for him to see the bed, and the woman kneeling next to it, body draped in one of his t-shirts, her hands clasped, head bowed, face hidden by a curtain of silky curls, defeat written in every nuance of her body language. The scene stopped his breath, and broke his heart.

And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water 

"Take me away…" the whisper was breathy, pleading, as if she were crying. She was praying.

She wants someone to call her angel  
Someone to put the light back in her eyes  
She's looking through the faces  
The unfamiliar places  
She needs someone to hear her when she cries 

She sounded so lost, so alone. So beaten.

And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water 

"Take me away," she pleaded again, picking up something from the bed. It was then that he focused on the pile of pills, on the handful she had just picked up. Oh God!

She just needs a little help  
To wash away the pain she's felt  
She wants to feel the healing hands  
Of someone who understands 

That thought broke the spell, and he was moving, pinning her hand. Sweeping the pills off the bed. Was he too late? He was kneeling beside her, gathering her in his arms, holding her, whispering promises in English and Spanish. She needed him, as much as he knew he needed her. She was still crying, the tears falling silently, as he tilted her chin up until her frightened gaze met his.

She was still his Babe, but barely. It broke his heart all over again. "How many, querida?" he asked. "How many did you take?" he kept his voice firm, his eyes holding hers, as painful as it was, nothing could hurt as much as losing her.

"N-none," she whispered. "Y-you just stopped me," she added, sounding annoyed. He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, and gave a silent prayer of thanks.

"Good," he told her, and picked her up gently. He made his way toward the door. He wasn't taking any chances.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Away."

And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me  
And she says take me away  
And take me farther  
Surround me now  
And hold, hold, hold me like holy water  
Holy water 


End file.
